Advocate photos by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER - Library patrons listen to Pat Joffrion, a pilot, U.S. Merchant Marine captain and author of two novels, discuss his life and writing during a July 24 talk at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

Advocate photo by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER - Author Pat Joffrion, left, signs a book for Agnes Pizzolato after speaking July 24 at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

Advocate photo by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER -- Author Pat Joffrion talks during a July 24 program at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

Pilot, captain, writer recounts tales from his very active life

Advocate photos by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER - Library patrons listen to Pat Joffrion, a pilot, U.S. Merchant Marine captain and author of two novels, discuss his life and writing during a July 24 talk at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

Advocate photo by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER - Author Pat Joffrion, left, signs a book for Agnes Pizzolato after speaking July 24 at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

Advocate photo by VON DE LEIGH HATCHER -- Author Pat Joffrion talks during a July 24 program at the Ascension Parish Library's Donaldsonville branch.

As a child, Pat Joffrion was a ball of energy, taking apart his mother’s appliances and attempting to parachute from a tree with a bed sheet.

Joffrion eventually rerouted that energy into his writing, completing two novels.

Joffrion, a pilot, U.S. Merchant Marine captain and author, talked about those adventures and his writings July 24 during a presentation at the Ascension Parish Library in Donaldsonville.

Joffrion explained the background of his two books, “Unknown Justice,” published in 2012, and “Complicit.”

The author recounted his life with wit and alacrity, saying his quest for adventure all began after being hit by a lightning bolt as a child. Joffrion joked that his wattage was more than the average person.

“I should have been the poster boy for ADD,” Joffrion said. He spent his childhood thirsting after knowledge, disassembling his mother’s appliances and trying to parachute from a tree using a bed sheet, Joffrion said.

His career as a commercial pilot and a captain brought him all around the world and introduced him to Costa Rica, his second home, Joffrion, a Paincourtville native, said.

“The best thing I can say about flying is hours and hours of peace interrupted by moments of terror,” Joffrion said. One such moment of terror was a crash landing, Joffrion said.

“Some of these things that have happened to me — How did I avoid dying? God must have had some sort of plan for me,” Joffrion said.

An automobile accident in 2010, which caused Joffrion to have several months’ rehabilitation, was the catalyst which started his writing career.

“I had no idea what I was going to write when I started writing. I just put everything down,” Joffrion said.

Since the wreck had addled his memory for a few months, Joffrion said he had to keep an index of his novel’s characters to reference as he continued writing.

Joffrion’s first book, “Unknown Justice,” is filled with characters based on real people, such as Joffrion’s father and godfather, and real places, with name changed for privacy, he said.

“The books have true places, a true time line, true people,” Joffrion said. “It’s just said in a fictitious manner.”

Joffrion, who is now working on a third crime novel, said, “The books have been something fun to do.” After conducting initial research, it takes him approximately three months to write a book, Joffrion said. Those familiar with Joffrion’s work complimented his skill throughout the evening.

Reading his books, which are filled with local color, “felt like I could ride down the road while I was reading,” said Agnes Pizzolato, a former creative writing instructor.